Black and Brown Churches are violating the Johnson amendment all the time. Nobody ever say anything.
dump the 503c!!
Sadly, most religious institutions kneel at the altar of the TaxExempt goddess according to 501c3.....
I have separated from such by simple inspection of their status.
Sadly, most religious institutions kneel at the altar of the TaxExempt goddess according to 501c3.....
I have separated from such by simple inspection of their status.
President Trump tried to get rid of the Johnson Amendmant but could not get it done legislatively. He did instruct the IRC not to go after religious organizations for implied endorsements in instances where other 5013c organizations would not be effected. Since President Trump was the President for all Americans, the IRS probably acted even-handed during his as administration.
With the Dems in charge, all bets are off.
‘Many Pastors have used the Johnson Amendment as a cover to justify their refusal to Biblically inform congregants about political issues.’
yes of course, because the Bible is just chock full of overt references to the political climate of 2022...
They can do want they want, but I don’t go to church to hear about politics. Give people a Christian foundation on which to build their lives. Address the issues of the day from a Christian point of view. Then let people figure it out for themselves when they vote or become politically active. Ideally, that foundation will help them figure out other things in their lives as well.
We have all known someone who shapes his Christianity to conform to his secular worldview. Needless to say, that’s backwards. I am reminded of Lincoln’s comment that what is important is not thinking that God is on our side, but endeavoring to make sure we are on God’s side. .And every time I go to Divine Liturgy, I am reminded, “Put not your trust in princes, nor in the sons of men, in whom there is no help...”
Pastors who obey the rule are pansies.
Mixing politics and religion is like mixing manure and ice cream.
It doesn't hurt the manure but it ruins the ice cream.
It was always my understanding that churches were only prohibited from actually actively endorsing political parties or candidates and telling their congregants who to vote for.
Discussing the sin and evil of topics like abortion and homosexuality is not political endorsement, even if the left tries to make it that way.
Murder and sexual sin are MORAL issues, not political ones, and a pastor’s duty is to equip the body for the work of the ministry and to teach truth, and if thar means calling out sexual sin and murder, then so be it.
The church stands to lose its tax exemption. No church should sign on for that exemption because it eliminates their real status as a church independent of the State. By signing they have to follow the State’s rules. The rules are elastic, of course. Preaching support for left wing politicians will keep a church in good standing. Preaching against abortion is iffy and supporting non left politicians will at least get threats against tax free status. Churches are tas exempt under the 1st Amendment anyway. it just takes several to fight it out in the courts. So far only an occasional single church sect has tried and ben shot down with property confiscated and attempts to put liens on pastors’ church derived incomes. It needs to be many churches doing the challenge singly and in concert.
If a church registered with the government as a 501-c3, it is owned by the government.
My understanding is that pastors were always able to speak about the spiritual side of issues, just not about the political parties or politicians.
Of course, with the way things are going now, just mentioning pro-life or pro-traditional family scriptures may be enough to cause a vicious, punishing ordeal before, if you’re lucky, a judge finds the accusations against you unconstitutional.
bookmarking this thread to read later.